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Political Potpourri: Men Object to New Reality Show, Too!

Political Potpourri: Men Object to New Reality Show, Too!

By Paula Katinas

Women aren’t the only ones who hate the new reality series “Brooklyn 11223.” When Councilman Vincent Gentile held a press conference to bash the Oxygen Network show for its portrayal of Bay Ridge women, he was joined at the podium at Beyond Dance, a studio on Third Avenue, by nearly two dozen women. But the gathering also included men.

Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny, Democratic state Senate candidate Andrew Gounardes, and Carlo Scissura, senior advisor to Borough President Marty Markowitz, were all there to lend support to the anti-show movement.
Gounardes later issued a statement bashing “Brooklyn 11223,” which he said portrays Bay Ridge in a negative light.

“I want to thank Councilman Gentile and these community leaders for sticking up for Bay Ridge and for Brooklyn,” Gounardes said. “I grew up in this community, and I’m disappointed to see it being portrayed from such a narrow and stereotypical perspective. This show doesn’t capture the essence of what makes Bay Ridge such an incredible part of this city.”

“Countless families from around the world that move to Bay Ridge every year aren’t coming because of shows like this. They’re coming because it is one of the safest neighborhoods and has some of the best schools in the city. They’re coming because they appreciate its diversity and its natural beauty, its popular restaurants and shops and, most of all, its strong sense of community. That’s the Bay Ridge that I’d love to see a show about,” Gounardes said.

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Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis had words of praise for U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, who announced this week that she will not seek re-election in November. The two women have two things in common. They are both Republicans and they are both Greek-Americans.

“United States Senator Olympia Snowe’s retirement marks a great loss for the people of Maine and the country as a whole,” Malliotakis said. “Sen. Snowe is a shining example of the power and potential of the Greek community, and she continues to be a fantastic role model for young women everywhere. As a Greek-American Republican woman, I have always personally admired and looked up to Sen. Snowe. I have drawn much inspiration from her 33 years in the Senate, and I know I join all Americans, both of Greek descent and otherwise, in thanking her for her service.”

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Need to refill your MetroCard? Visit state Sen. Marty Golden’s Bay Ridge office on Monday, March 5. He will have the MetroCard Van parked outside the office to serve constituents.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority has scheduled the MetroCard Van to visit the office, at 7408 Fifth Ave., on March 5, from 1 to 3 p.m.

The MetroCard Van will enable the local residents to take care of all their MetroCard business, whether it’s applying for or refilling a Reduced-Fare MetroCard, buying or refilling a regular MetroCard, or asking a MetroCard-related question.
Golden said residents will receive prompt and attentive service.

For more information, call Golden’s office at (718) 238-6044.

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Bay Ridge resident Mike Long, chairman of the New York State Conservative Party, is blasting New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli over the comptroller’s campaign contributions.

Long issued a statement in response to a New York Daily News article that detailed the campaign contributions. Long was quoted in the article.

“As I said in the article, Comptroller DiNapoli may be refusing to stand up for taxpayers because of the heavy contributions by labor unions. When examining the DiNapoli contributions, it is evident those labor union contributions are substantial, and that almost 50 percent of his $10,000 contributors are from organized labor — the same labor unions who seek to bankrupt taxpayers across the state with pensions that make no sense in this day and age,” Long stated.

“He should return the contributions now, and if he refuses to, it certainly looks like it is a pay-for-play scheme perpetrated on unwilling taxpayers. His role as an independent watchdog becomes very questionable as long as he continues to accept and keep contributions from organizations that ignore the consequences placed on taxpayers footing the bills.”

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Assemblyman Dov Hikind is angry that the New York Police Department has come under fire for conducting surveillance against members of the Muslim community.

“The NYPD officers are doing their jobs precisely the way New Yorkers expect them to. By being pro-active in surveillance and gathering vital information, the police are preventing potential terrorism. It’s outrageous that some officials are willing to use this issue as a political football. Handcuffing the police would be disastrous. This isn’t about political correctness — it’s about protecting lives and national security,” Hikind said.

Hikind praised Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly for what he said is their pro-active, terrorism-preventative work in the wake of Sept. 11.

“There’s a reason we haven’t had more catastrophes in New York. The police are doing their job,” Hikind said.